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The Minerals Commission received assistance in conducting regulatory and monitoring activities in the Birim Central Municipality and the Eastern Region on Wednesday, June 5, from Samuel Abu Jinapor, the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, who dedicated a state-of-the-art office building at Akim Oda.
Jinapor said during the inauguration that building a well-equipped office is a component of the government’s plan to decentralize and put the Minerals Commission’s functions closer to communities and mining firms.
The two-story office, which began construction in 2022, is estimated to cost GHC5 million. The office complex features four washrooms, two large storerooms, a kitchen on each floor, a conference hall, and other amenities that will improve the welfare of the staff and enable them to discharge their duties with utmost perfection.
Described in detail, the Akim Oda office is one of the first offices in the nation, according to Jinapor, who also discussed its significance.
The minister announced that the operations of the Minerals Commission have significantly expanded under the Akufo-Addo administration, with the construction of four new district offices, twelve satellite offices, and two observatory offices.
He stated that the construction of a modern office for the Akim-Oda Minerals Commission is further evidence of the Akufo-Addo administration’s commitment to revitalising the mining sector by promoting sustainable and environmentally sound mining practices.
He noted that the office would enable the Minerals Commission to conduct effective supervision in Akim Oda and its surrounding areas.
“In addition to overseeing small-scale mining operations in Akim Oda, this office will supervise mining activities in Akwatia, Anyinam, Osinor, Asamantafo, Kade, Adankrono, among others. These areas have a long history of community mining. I am pleased that we have been able to construct this multi-purpose edifice for the people of Akim Oda.
“I am informed that the construction has been completed to standard, and measures have been put in place to ensure that the office is properly maintained for effective service delivery,” he said.
When Jinapor declared that the Community Mining Scheme in Akim Oda would soon be launched and that the building of the office had made it possible to create a CMS concession, the assembly was ecstatic.
He pledged that the concession would be made public shortly and thanked Alexandre Kwasi Acquah, the Member of Parliament for Akim Oda, for his proactive role in securing the offices and CMS.
“With this fully furnished office commissioned, I want to assure you that Akim Oda will soon have a community mining scheme. The MP has been persistent, and I am here to announce that Akim Oda will soon benefit from a Community Mining Scheme. This office will definitely monitor the operations of the Community Mining Scheme.”
Barbara Oteng Gyasi, the chairperson of the Minerals Commission board, stated,
“We were tasked by the president to regularize mining to benefit every Ghanaian and protect our environment. To achieve that, we had to expand our offices across the country to be closer to the mining companies, especially the small-scale mining companies, to effectively monitor their activities.
In order to expand our network of district, regional, and satellite officers nationwide, the Minerals Commission launched an expansion project. We acknowledge the importance of the Eastern Region to our mining footprint and the need to establish Minerals Commission offices in numerous locations around the Eastern Region in order to efficiently oversee all operations.
The paramount chief of the Akyem Kotoku Traditional Area,Oseadieyo Dr. Frimpong Manso IV, expressed his happiness that the Community Mining Scheme would soon arrive and commended the Lands Minister for granting the MP and the locals’ requests.
He emphasized that mining has been an important source of income for the locals and pledged to see to it that the nation’s mining laws are followed.
Source: Ghanatodayonline.com
